Tamale, May 27, GNA - A Tamale Circuit Court on Friday sentenced Shaibu Sahmunu, an electrician, to a day's imprisonment and a one million-cedi fine for assaulting a teacher. The Court imposed a 500,000-cedi fine each on two other accomplices, Haruna Noagur and Thick Mallam, both auto mechanics while the fourth, Rufia Ibrahim, also an auto mechanic, was fined 400,000 cedis. In default, Sahmunu would serve six months imprisonment while the three others would serve a three-month jail term each. All the four pleaded not guilty.

The Court, presided over by Mr Nicholas Abodakpi, found the four accused guilty of conspiracy to commit crime and assault and assault but cleared them of unlawful entry.

The prosecution told the court that on March 11, this year, Mr. Abdallah Mohammed Iddrisu, a teacher of the "Our Lady of Fatima Primary School" in Tamale punished two of his pupils for using vulgar language on each other.

One of the boys he punished aged 13, went home to report the matter to his father who in turn followed his son to the school accompanied by the four men.

The prosecution said the men pounced on the victim and gave him some slaps until he fell on a table injuring his chest and right eye. They subsequently took to their heels when the class made noise to attract the attention of other teachers to the scene.

Mr. Iddrisu reported the case to the police who subsequently arrested the suspects and arraigned them before the court, the prosecution said.